Magic Crafter
by Hikaru Irving
Summary: My name is Daystar, and I'm a Magic Crafter dragon who can't use magic. Vivian, a Peacekeeper, and Sidos, a red thief, join me as I travel the Forgotten Worlds, in search of the reason I can't use magic.
1. Magically Challenged

A/N: I had this idea bouncing around while I was playing Year of the Dragon. Also, I'm plugging Malefor, Cynder, Ignitus, Volteer, Terrador, and Cyril just because. Malefor is not evil, at least, not yet. For now he's just a babysitter.

--

Sometimes I feel like I don't belong here. Not that I really don't; I really do. I'm a Magic Crafter, and all Magic Crafters have four horns instead of just two, and longer wingspans than the other dragon clans. But the wingspan doesn't really apply to me yet because I'm still just a hatchling. Anyway. The reason I feel like I don't belong here ...

For one thing, I hadn't even hatched here in the Magic Crafter home world. Just a short while ago, an evil Sorceress on the other side of the planet (in the Forgotten Worlds, elder Cosmos said) had her henchmen Rhynocs come on our side of the world and stole all the new dragon eggs. The robed thieves steal dragon eggs whenever they get the chance, but at least they don't go anywhere else. Thieves are a strange bunch.

Anyway, yeah, I hadn't even hatched here. I was hatched by another dragon, our very own hero, Spyro. He found my egg in some cursed tomb of the Midnight Mountain home world, at the end of a huge slide shaped like a snake. That was not where I would've liked to hatch. I'd rather have hatched in the giant armored spider cave of the High Caves than some place like that. Oh, well. Anyway, that's where I hatched. I was taken to the Magic Crafter home world by some faerie's teleportation spell, where some adult Magic Crafters greeted me.

Education is very important for a Magic Crafter. Every clan has to have some sort of education in order to be a productive member of that clan's society. Artisans create works of art and read and write books, Peacekeepers study the arts of war, Beast Makers create monsters out of ordinary creatures, and Dream Weavers make the dreams other creatures have. Magic Crafters ... we're responsible for making new forms of magic and spells. It's from our clan that the Dream Weavers and Beast Makers sprung thousands of years ago, though Dream Weavers look the part more.

I do belong here. The blood of the Magic Crafters flows in my veins. But all the other hatchlings that Spyro rescued are already buzzing with spells to exterminate those annoying druids, wizards and such. I'm a Magic Crafter ... that can't use magic. Already I'm Spyro's age when he took down Ripto in Avalar, and I can glide, breathe fire, charge (four horns are better than two!), hover, swim and dodge roll. But I can't use magic. It's the one thing I can't do. It bothers me more than anything else because I'm a freaking _Magic Crafter._

Cosmos tried to make me feel better. She always tells me that I'm just a late bloomer, that not all Magic Crafters come into their power immediately. But the hatchlings that are much younger than me are already brimming with spells. I can't even conjure a butterfly for my dragonfly. Stardust is quick to point out that Spyro didn't need magic to do great things. Like take out Gnasty Gnorc, Ripto, and the Sorceress. I'm grateful to her, because what my dragonfly says sounds and feels more like encouragement than what Cosmos says. But it still bothers me.

Since I can't use magic and really have nothing better to do (except learn how to fly, but Crystal Flight is not my cup of tea) than to chase the mountain sheep around, I decided to visit other clans and see what they thought of my little ... predicament. My hopes aren't very high, though--if the elder Magic Crafters can't figure out what's wrong with me, chances are no one else can, either. But I'll still try. It's better than just chasing sheep all day.

There was someone else who wanted to visit one of the other dragon clan home worlds. I said that thieves are a strange bunch. They are. In fact, one of them happens to be my friend. Sidos, a red robed thief who stole not only immature dragon eggs but also gems. Sidos tells me that Spyro had a heck of time trying to catch him in the Treetops. But the elders tell me that Spyro can actually fly now, so if Sidos decides to steal something again, Spyro won't have much trouble catching him. He's not a little hatchling anymore, either ... unlike me.

The balloonist asked us which world we'd like to go to. Sidos said he didn't care, he was just bored. So I told the balloonist to take us to the Artisan home world. The hot hair balloon was cramped with me, Sidos, and the balloonist all crammed in at the same time. I had no room whatever for my wings. Stardust snickered at me the whole way. I glared. Fortunately, despite the distance from one world to the next, it didn't take long at all.

Tuco the balloonist dropped off me and Sidos at the docks of the Artisan world. There were Artisans and their hatchlings going about their daily businesses, which amounted to creating artworks, mostly sculptures. I began trotting toward the grassy meadow where the Sunny Flight portal rested. The Artisan home was much sunnier and warmer than the Magic Crafter world. As I trotted past dragons, Sidos glided behind me. He didn't mind the glares the other dragons gave him.

The elder I was looking for, Nestor, was supervising a smelter he "hired" some gnorcs to build. The gnorcs were making something; I could smell the molten metal and hear the peal of hammers on anvils. Every so often Nestor would say something or spit fire in the smelter, and the gnorcs would behave accordingly. I padded on the grass toward them. The gnorcs paid us no mind, but Nestor turned around with a smile that showed off all his glimmering, razor sharp teeth. I thumped my tail on the ground somewhat nervously. It bounced right back off the springy grass.

Magic Crafter elders were tall, too, but there was something about Nestor that made him tower over any other dragon. I was especially aware of a kink in my neck as I looked up at him. Yikes. I wouldn't want Nestor mad at me. But when Nestor looked at me, his eyes had a kindly look. He shot one glance at the gnorcs before he curled up in the grass, so I didn't have to look up to see him.

Nestor puffed out a jet of white smoke as I sat down, with my forepaws in front of me as was polite. I also folded my wings. Stardust perched on one of my wings, on the knuckle bone. Her transparent wings stopped buzzing. Beside us the ringing of the gnorcs made a sort of music. Sidos put his hands behind his back and watched us, that wide grin unmoving. I wonder what thieves look like under their robes and turbans.

"Daystar, was it? You're one of the hatchlings Spyro rescued from the Sorceress."

I nodded, my claws making small grooves in the soft earth underneath us.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something."

Nestor quirked a brow. "What would that be, young one?"

"I'm a Magic Crafter that can't use magic, and I want to know why."

Few were the disgraces of dragonkind that led them to be outcasts. Even fewer were the dragons who did not have the abilities of their blood clan. Nestor decided to approach this case with care. He pondered for a few moments before he spoke again.

"Have you spoken with your elders about this?"

It was an extreme breach of dragon code to assume the upbringing of another clan's young, unless the hatchling had been adopted into the foreign clan. This includes matters of abilities. Teaching another clan's hatchling how to use his or her innate abilities falls under this breach of code. I shrugged, my wings moving up and down.

"Yeah, but all Cosmos says is that I'm a late bloomer, that I'll grow in my powers with time. But I haven't."

"If you don't mind my asking," Nestor said, "where did you hatch?"

"Some cursed catacomb, at the end of a snake slide in Midnight Mountain." I supplied.

Sidos chortled. "Might that cursed tomb have something to do with it? Or did a Rhynoc drop you when you were still an egg?"

I whipped around to face Sidos, eyes narrowed, sparks shooting out of my mouth.

"Shut up, don't even joke about that!" If my inability to use magic was because of some stupid Rhynoc dropping my egg ... ooh, I will not be happy about that.

Nestor ignored him.

"What about the other Magic Crafter hatchlings?"

I hung my head as I turned back to Nestor. "They're younger than me, and they're buzzing with spells already, before they can even glide. I can glide, hover, swim, charge, dodge ... but I can't use magic." My brow furrowed. "Why?"

"The Forgotten Worlds were losing their magic, because we were banished from there eons ago. Maybe the dying worlds drained your magic."

"But I should be able to use it by now!" I protested. "I've been living with dragons for years! If that happened, it should've returned!"

"Calm down, Daystar." Nestor said. "I don't know what happened to make your magic disappear. But it certainly isn't magic deprivation, we know that. But whatever happened might lay in the Forgotten Worlds. You wouldn't mind going back there, would you?"

I pondered about it. Half the adult dragons and hatchlings, thanks to Hunter the cheetah, agreed to settle in the Forgotten Worlds. There were still clans there. I bet the Forgotten Worlds were brimming with magic by now. It's been years since the last Year of the Dragon. Finally, I nodded.

"No, not at all. If it means recovering my magic, I'll do anything."

Nestor stood up, that broad smile on his face. "Good. I don't want you and Stardust going alone. Go to another home world and bring a friend along, just in--"

"He's not going alone." Sidos interrupted. "Because I'm going with him."

"Sidos?" I asked, confused. Nestor and I exchanged glances. When was the last time a thief and a dragon cooperated? They could be friends, but ... this was just too weird. The red robed thief nodded adamantly.

"Still," Nestor remained firm. "Go get a dragon friend. I doubt Sidos can breathe fire."

"I could," Sidos replied. "Just get me a bottle of booze and a lighter."

I shook my head. "Thanks, Nestor." I looked back at the smelter where the gnorcs were working. "What are you making?"

Nestor's voice was proud. "Dragon armor." He said.

"I see." I remembered seeing the three armor sets Spyro wore whenever he had to fly off to some battle. The armor was only three pieces to a set, but they had some fantastic enchantments. I wanted armor of my own, but despite all the gems I have saved up, it's not enough for more than one piece of a set. Moneybags was expensive to buy from. Moneybags ... I'll bet he's an okay guy, but I heard that he was going to sell a dragon egg in Avalar! Naturally, Spyro got that egg back, too, but still! Who in his right mind ... not Moneybags. Bah.

Artisans are generally jealous of their own creations, oriental or practical. But Nestor is not an ordinary Artisan. After I replied, Nestor had a knowing look. He went to the treasure chest that rested beside one of the gnorcs, popped it open, and took out three pieces of silvery armor. A warrior set. He beckoned me over. I obeyed. The armor was heavy as Nestor equipped me with the braces, tail piece, and helmet, but it made me swell with pride. My own armor set. I bristled.

"I can keep it? I don't have to pay?" I couldn't help but ask. I was just too shocked.

"I'm not Moneybags." Nestor chuckled. He dragged out another chest. "This set is for whoever you're planning to bring along. I have a feeling I already know who ..."

I flushed, grateful that unlike other creatures, you can't tell when a dragon was blushing. I didn't object to bringing an armor set for her, but I did cringe at dragging a heavy treasure chest to and fro. Sidos picked it up, moved it slightly to the left and abruptly set it down again. He turned to me.

"Incidentally, I have a gift for you, Daystar."

I quirked my brow as he rummaged in the depths of his crimson robe. He withdrew a short mantle woven of shimmering gold cloth. Just looking at it took my breath away. Sidos ignored my flabbergasted objections as he fastened the cloak about my shoulders. I could feel Nestor's confusion, growing exponentially. Thieves took from the dragons; they didn't hand us gifts! But Sidos is an extremely strange thief. He's not like the common blue ones. Though that didn't stop him from stealing from us occasionally.

With Nestor's blessing and good luck wishes, I bounded off for Marco the balloonist, Sidos right behind me. How he can carry that heavy chest and still run at that freakishly fast speed is way beyond me. Thieves are just weird like that.

Marco dropped us off at the Peacekeeper home world. Titan greeted us as we shot past him (maybe he eyed Sidos a little suspiciously). The Peacekeepers were always at war with something: this time an army of gnorcs allied with Rhynocs. That's almost as strange as Sidos, being a thief, being also my friend, helping me, and giving me gifts. Nonetheless we ignored it as we charged through the battlefield. Cannons blazed and I could hear the gnorcs and Rhynocs on all sides fighting with the dragons. Many of the adults flew in the air, sweeping down and setting everything, mostly enemy encampments, on fire. The fires blazed, making the canyon heat of the Peacekeeper home world that much hotter.

Sidos zoomed past any enemy trying to attack him and the chest he carried. I felt especially brave with my new armor that Nestor gave me. Even if I couldn't do magic, I still had my own abilities. I tackled one gnorc to the ground, flamed him, and bit a Rhynoc arm so hard it broke in my jaws. I leapt and glided, on the lookout for the dragon I wanted to accompany me to the Forgotten Worlds.

I found her emerging from the cave where the Ice Cavern portal lay, gliding out of the reaches of gnorcs. Magnus smashed those gnorcs, and she hovered to the ground. Her blood red scales glistened in the harsh sunlight. I bounded toward her, heart racing.

"Vivian!" I called, Sidos matching my speed. He could have easily gone much faster, but this was his kindness, I supposed. The red Peacekeeper crouched, ready to fight, but she eased out of her stance when she saw me dash toward her. She quirked a brow at Sidos, but I shrugged. Thieves ...

"What brings you here?" She asked me, Rhun, her own male dragonfly, buzzing around her head, shining a healthy gold. "We're in the middle of a war."

I couldn't help but chuckle; the sound was drowned out in cannon fire.

"Aren't you always at war?"

She shrugged. "A Peacekeeper's job is never done. Why are you here?"

"I want you to come with me to the Forgotten Worlds!" I had to raise my voice over the sounds of battle engulfing us. Her golden eyes went wide.

"What? Why there?"

"I'm trying to find out why I can't use magic!" I replied, ducking as a cannonball shot over our heads. Sidos dropped the chest in front of Vivian. The lid popped off and her armor set spilled on the ground. Without a word, Vivian set to equipping herself with the armor. She was straightforward like that. She also knew the armor had been for her, so I wasn't complaining.

Vivian stood up tall, surveying the chaos of war all around us. She shrugged and shouted over a gnorc charge, "Sure! I'll race you to the balloonist!"

I didn't think it was a very interesting race, since the balloonist was just a short ways away. But I nodded anyway, and we dashed to the balloonist. I didn't know what would be waiting for us in the Forgotten Worlds, but I hoped that whatever made me unable to use magic would be there. If it was something tangible, I wanted to beat the crap out of it before I came back.


	2. The Mural

A/N: Sorry for the long wait!

--

Pure craziness was all I could think of. Marco was the best balloonist I knew, and he crashed. The. Balloon. He crashed the freaking balloon. Is it even possible to crash a hot air balloon? I didn't recall much after the fact, just being thrown in the air, and landing with a loud splash in a freshwater pool. I heard a loud, angry shout, and before I knew it, Sidos was pulling me out of the water, cursing vehemently. I was touched, then I realized that Sidos was fussing over the golden mantle he gave me, not me. Annoyed, I smacked his hands away, my tail flicking.

Vivian skimmed the water's surface, gliding to the shore. The remains of the balloon floated in the pool, with Marco sitting on the basket. If it weren't for his pilot's mask, I bet I could see the sheepish expression he no doubt was wearing. Vivian looked me over; I was sopping wet. The mantle's once radiant shine was also subdued. Sidos was muttering about how the silk thread for that mantle was an expensive sort from his cousin in Shady Oasis, but I wasn't listening.

"Smooth," Vivian said, smirking. I frowned.

"It's not my fault Marco crashed the balloon ..."

Marco was calling his apologies as he set to work salvaging the balloon. I wondered how he was going to get back to the Artisan home world. The locals would probably help him repair the balloon. I looked around; we were in Sunrise Spring, next to the pond where Seashell Shore portal rested on an island. I shook myself to get dry. Water droplets flew everywhere, and Sidos grumbled when his robe got wet. I had a satisfied smile.

"So, what now?" Vivian asked, her wings folded against her back. "Did you just plan to ask the locals what they think of your condition?"

I grumbled, pawing at the moist earth we were standing on. "I wanted to get to Midnight Mountain ... Bianca's probably the only one who might have any idea how I got this way. She was close to the Sorceress."

"We can see if there's another vehicle we can use ..." Vivian broke off, surprised. She turned to see Sidos buckling something to her waist. She jumped, wings flapping frantically. "Hey, hey! What're you doing, thief!?" Amazingly, Sidos managed to hold on, and he grunted as he struggled with the belt.

"Doing you a favor," he said. Finally, when he fastened the buckle, he dropped to the ground, flat on his rear. He looked surprisingly smug with himself. I could see why. I looked at Vivian's waist--belted to it was a short sword with a deep red scabbard, with a ruby adorning the pommel. A silver rune was emblazoned on the scabbard. Vivian turned to look at it, her slim jaw slack. I quirked a brow at Sidos.

"What is it with you and giving us stuff? You're a _thief!_ You're supposed to steal things from us!"

Sidos oh so tactfully ignored me. "That sword is special. You might want to take care of it. It's made of mythril. And once Starbright finally learns some magic here--"

"Daystar!" I interjected venomously.

"--he can store spells in it, like an emergency reserve. You're welcome."

Vivian touched the sword hilt with a claw, tapping the silvery metal. She shrugged.

"I'm not complaining. Does this sword have a name? Lots of magical swords have names."

Sidos's shoulders moved up and down uncertainly. "I stole it from someone else, so I'unno if it has a name. Call it what you like. More importantly, what are we gonna do now?"

"That sounds more like you," I breathed quietly, and Vivian chortled. Sidos glared, folding his arms. "Anyway ... yeah, it won't hurt to ask the locals. We can ask for Hunter and Bianca while we're at it."

It was hard to believe that the Forgotten Worlds once were dying, the magic in the very land bled dry. The lands here were brimming with life. It wasn't as strong or the same as the Magic Crafter homeland, but nor was it the crinkling, drying husk it once was. As we walked, Vivian asked me,

"Did anybody try to teach you magic?"

I sighed, "Multiple times. Sometimes I felt a tingling in my bones, but no sudden torrent of magical power."

"Hn."

Peacekeepers were more physical beings than magical. There was no doubt that Vivian was probably stronger than me. Survival of the fittest is the law of her land. Peacekeepers were drenched in the blood of war, from the day they hatched to the day they died. It was a depressing thought, but not likely to the Peacekeepers. Their wars kept the rest of the dragon realms at peace. At least, they had before Gnasty Gnorc and the Sorceress.

I could guess what Vivian was probably thinking. Even Peacekeepers had limited use of magic, and what I described as a slight tingling in my bones was something to be concerned about. When a dragon used magic, the power should burst forth from their very being. What should have been a river had been a mere trickle in me.

_Something is wrong with me._

Sidos had been joking (I would hope), but what if the reason for my condition lies in the place I was hatched? A haunted tomb? What if a Rhynoc had dropped my egg, and the prenatal trauma rendered my inner workings deaf to magic? The morbid possibilities kept running through my mind even as we stepped through the Sunny Villa portal.

-

The lions of Sunny Villa were more concerned with gladiator fights and their giant chickens more so than anything to do with magic, but we're also looking for Bianca and Hunter. Hunter liked to skateboard, and the arena here could also be used as a skating park. I never liked anything with wheels. However, I did want some of that giant chicken.

The Villa was quite nice when it wasn't overrun with Rhynocs. Lions and dragons with their hatchlings and cubs played in the streets, everything as pleasant as can be. The mayor might be able to help us find Hunter and Bianca, so we headed to his house.

Unfortunately, we ran into a bit of trouble in the town square. The lions all froze, then leapt at us and pointed accusingly at Sidos--with their swords. The thief just smirked as the lions charged, shouting insults at him. I was torn. Sidos was a thief that stole from just about everyone, but he was also my friend. So I tackled one lion (who was surprisingly not much bigger than me), crying, "No!"

Vivian took the Peacekeeper approach. She, with a few claw swipes and tail whips, disarmed the other lions in record time. The town square was filled with the clattering of swords hitting the cobblestone street. The gladiators yelped in their surprise, their fur standing on end. A warrior demanded,

"Why do you defend this villain?"

Sidos merely stood there, that huge sinister smirk plastered on his face. I hoped we weren't going to have this sort of trouble wherever we went, but it might as well be false hope. Thieves were thieves, after all. I can't blame people for reacting like this. I stood up tall, stretching my wings to make myself look bigger than I was. Thank goodness for my Magic Crafter wingspan.

"Look, I can't speak for any other thieves ... but Sidos is our friend--" I could feel Vivian glaring at me--"and he even gave us gifts!" The shine of my deep blue turquoise scales paled in comparison to golden silk mantle about my shoulders. Vivian turned to show the lions the sword at her waist. She didn't use it yet. I guess Peacekeepers prefer fangs and claws, or maybe she's just thinking of a name for it. I sighed.

"Sidos," I said flatly, and the thief dropped a lion's sword he had been holding. He folded his arms, pouting.

"I need a new sword, y'know, what with Vivian keeping mine."

Vivian angrily swept her tail in the air, indignant.

_"You_ gave it to me!"

"Just stop stealing!" The words were out before I even knew what they were. Asking a thief to stop stealing was like asking a dragon to stop flying. Each race had integral parts of who they were, and stealing was integral to the thieves and their way of life, deplorable it might be to other races. "At--at least while we're around." I finished meekly.

"Fine," Sidos's shoulders slumped. He turned to the lions who still stood. "I actually have gems on me, if anybody wants to sell me a sword and shield."

There was suspicious murmuring, but nonetheless some brave gladiators stepped forward to deal with the thief. From the depths of his robe Sidos produced a blue vase, no doubt filled with gems. As Sidos shopped, the Sunny Villa mayor, Leo, came forward, toward me and Vivian. The leaf crown of leadership sat upon his tawny head.

"What brings you dragons to our villa?" He politely did not mention Sidos (who was now haggling for a sword and shield he found a liking to). I thought about what to say. I didn't want the whole Forgotten Worlds to know I was an inept Magic Crafter, so I just said this instead:

"We're looking for Hunter and Bianca."

"Ah," Mayor Leo said, stroking his chin. "Bianca lives in the Sorceress's old castle in Midnight Mountain. But alas, I know not where Hunter might be. He could be in Avalar, for all we know."

"I see." I replied. "Thank you." I sure hoped we wouldn't have to go all the way to Avalar. Oh, well. Bianca's the one we really want, anyway. I turned to leave, Vivian walking alongside me. Her wings drooped a little bit; maybe she wanted to participate in the gladiator fights. Fighting was in a Peacekeeper's blood.

Sidos paid a lion a sum of three hundred gems (including rare purple ones) for a sword and shield complete with belt and scabbard. The red robed thief held up the sword (made of ordinary steel, with a glimmering yellow jewel in the pommel), saying in a language I didn't understand,

_"¡Llamo tú corazón del león!"_

Even though I didn't understand the language itself, somehow I knew Sidos had named the sword Lionheart. I felt proud as we leapt through the portal back to Sunrise Spring--at least one aspect of my Magic Crafter ability wasn't out of my reach.

-

We padded across the soft springy grass, heading to the alcove by the pond to see if there was another vehicle that could take us to Midnight Mountain.

"Why get another sword?" Vivian asked Sidos. "Wouldn't you rather keep this one?" Mythril, after all, wasn't easy to come by, or to forge. It took Dream Weavers to find the ore, Artisans to smelt it, and Magic Crafters to forge it. It brought an important question to my mind: from whom did Sidos steal the mythril sword?

Sidos shook his head. "Nah. Besides, you'll need a training partner before you can use that one properly."

We glided over the water of the large pond, ducking under the arch where the Sunrise Spring vehicle would be. "Would be" being the operative phrase, of course.

"Great." My wings drooped so that their tips brushed the tiled floor. No vehicle. Just Marco, bless his little heart, repairing his balloon with the help of a stone idol, a seal, and a kangaroo. The idol turned toward us, his stony face apologetic.

"The balloon won't be finished for a good long while, I'm afraid. Why don't you head on over to the Tiki Lodge? There's a dinner party I daresay even dragons would like."

At the thought of food, my stomach rumbled. What did the idols of Molten Crater eat? Vivian was already loping out the door, wings outstretched. Peacekeepers were legendary big eaters. They worked together to bring down big prey, and I mean big. Woolly mammoth big. I shrugged, following her. If a Peacekeeper had no qualms eating what idols ate, then nor would a Magic Crafter. Sidos seemed to slide over everything as usual, Lionheart bouncing on his side.

As a Magic Crafter, I liked cool, icy climes. Molten Crater was _hot._ Very, very hot. Instead of freshwater rivers, there were rivers of seething, spitting lava. Large insects buzzed around us, much to our dragonflies' delights. Vivian looked around the rocky terrain, her claws flattening the dry, dead grasses scattered on the earth.

"It's warmer than home." She remarked.

"Warmer?" I said, incredulous. I was burning up already. I longed for the breezy heights of Alpine Ridge, the sheer joy at the feeling of knocking ice caps from the snowy mountaintops. Stardust silently echoed my sentiment.

Sidos, despite his thick robe and turban, cheerfully hopped up the stone steps that led into the Tiki Lodge. I could hear the clamor of a festival as Vivian and I followed. In the lodge there was a big, long table laden with all sorts of dishes and glasses and platters. I was relieved to smell roasted and seasoned sheep meat. I preferred char-broiled, but oh well. I was hungry.

The idols welcomed us. One of them even passed around a meat platter. As we ate, the idols joked, sang karaoke, and passed around mugs of a drink that smelled funny, but the idols enjoyed it nonetheless. The idols were glad that some dragons returned to the Forgotten Worlds. When the magic was disappearing during the Sorceress's reign, the Molten Crater portals stopped working. One idol even kept the shells of a dragon egg as a memento of that awful time.

The meals and merriment felt like it lasted hours upon hours on end. I actually fell asleep in the middle of the lodge. Even the severe heat ceased to bother me. Vivian nudged me awake, with a sense of urgency.

"Daystar, wake up! Sidos is gone!"

Groggily, I stood, stretching. I wasn't worried about Sidos. Any self-respecting thief could take care of himself. I was worried that he might be stealing from the locals. There was a dark area portal across a bridge from the lodge, so Vivian and I headed that way. Beyond the portal, we stood in an archway of stone that was carved in a hillside. Slithering between smaller bluffs was a stone road marked with arrows, a super charge lane.

"Daystar, what's this?" Vivian asked me, pointing at the walls of stone. My jaw went slack.

I can't use magic, but the elders still had me learn magic theory. I can set up a ritual to create a power up, but another Magic Crafter would have to activate the spell. I could still _craft_ magic. I studied the walls. Engraved in the stone were pictures of grooves deep under the earth. It was much too shallow for it to be magma, and water did not flow under the planet's crust. My mouth went dry.

"Leylines." I said. Leylines are the invisible flows of magic within the earth beneath us. Anything that uses magic calls upon the leylines. Especially powerful spells required a ley point, a concentration of the leyline. Portals were a prime example of making use of such places of power. It was along the leylines that transport magic was made possible.

Carved in the walls were a group of mages that were using the leylines for a spell. I couldn't say what exactly the mages were doing. It looked like they were ... making bits of land float in the air. I shrugged; floating land was nothing new. Dream Weavers lived on floating islands. But what really caught my attention ...

"The mages look like ... thieves."

"No way!" Vivian protested, tail flicking.

"Look closely ..." Yep. Long robes and turbans. Some reliefs even had the sinister looking faces. If thieves had any involvement with magic, they stole it. They didn't use spells, at least not the thieves we were used to dealing with. Though magic might explain their insane speeds despite robes that ought to trip them. I shrugged.

"Sidos isn't here. Let's look elsewhere."

We found Sidos sleeping under the lodge table, hidden by the tablecloth and a dozen slumbering stone idols. An empty mug (or five) of that strange, smelly liquid was on the floor beside him. I sniffed the odd drink. I think I heard Sidos call it ...

Booze, was it?


	3. The Other Way

A/N: Yay! Three reviews! I feel special.

--

We had to half-drag Sidos through the portal back to Sunrise Spring. If we could fly, Vivian and I together could have carried him out, but so far all we could do was glide. So, gently as we could, we took the scruff of his robes in our teeth and dragged him along the ground. When we came to the portal, Vivian hoisted Sidos on my back for the glide to the home world. I didn't mind much; the small thief didn't weigh much. I've only been wearing my armor for a few days, but already I was tolerating heavier weights on my body. Vivian must be super strong, with armor and sword.

Upon returning to the spring, we waited by the pond's edge for Sidos to come to. There are lots of myths about how to cure a drunk and return him to sobriety. The truth was, there was nothing that could be done but wait for the intoxicated person to recover on his own, for his body to eliminate the toxins. Many might find this hard to believe, but I'd challenge them to deny this to Magic Crafter healers. Yeah, I thought not.

But thieves seemed to have ridiculous speed in things other than running, for it was no more than an hour before Sidos awoke, blinking blearily in the sunlight. However, he still seemed to have the symptoms of a hangover. Serves him right. We worried about him (stealing from others), and all that time he was just drunk with the idols under the table. Smooth, Sidos. Real smooth. Anybody could catch him in that state.

" ... Starbright?" Sidos asked uncertainly, blinking at me. I thumped my tail on the ground.

"Daystar." I said flatly, white wisps of smoke flaring out my nostrils. He's known me since I was a hatchling; you'd think he'd know my name by now! Sidos blinked again.

"Oh, that's right ... what happened?"

"You were drunk at Molten Crater." Vivian supplied, quirking her brow. "Some dinner party."

"Oh, that's what happened ..."

"We were worried about you!" I snapped, my claws digging into the soft earth underfoot.

Sidos snorted, sitting upright and holding his head with both hands (which, oddly, were concealed under his sleeves). "Yeah, right. More like whether or not I was stealing from people."

"That, too," I replied hotly, "but don't just disappear on us like that! You could've been in trouble."

"I doubt it." The thief said. "If I could outrun Spyro the Great, then I'm good. Even if I was drunk."

"He was a hatchling then." I retorted.

"Eh, same difference."

"Wow." Was all Vivian could say.

But I had something else to say. I was curious about that mural we found in Molten Crater, and it would kill time until Marco finished repairing his hot air balloon. I still can't quite figure out he had crashed it ...

"Hey, Sidos. Do thieves ... use magic?"

Sidos snorted. "What, you're looking to me to unlock your latent power? Tough luck, buddy. I'm about as magical as those fish in the pond."

"Not according to that mural in Molten Crater." I said slowly, and Sidos froze, absolutely paralyzed. Brow quirked at this, I continued, just as slowly, "And why would you have a magical sword if you can't use magic?"

"Well," Sidos said reluctantly, "Just what kind of mural was it? The idols like to scribble lots of stuff on their walls."

"Funny thing is," Vivian interjected, "Moneybags tells me that particular place had been a hideout for two thieves before. The place with the super charge lane?"

Right after Vivian, I said, "The mural showed thieves using magic." The whole floating lands bit was too inconsequential to mention. Not just Dream Weavers lived on floating islands. Crystal Islands floated, for one. There were also such places in Avalar.

Sidos sat in the grass, looking out to the perpetual sunrise in the skies. At least five minutes of silence passed before he heaved a deep sigh.

"Fine, I'll tell you, Starbright."

"Oh, for the love of--"

"Once upon a time, there was a thief who worked with me in stealing dragon eggs and treasure. We contrasted nicely. I wear red, she wore a robe of purest white. Instead of a turban, she had a hood, and used a sword and shield. Unlike most thieves, she had a gift for magic. She taught me how to use a sword and shield (I used to use a bow and arrows then), and how to harness the magical power of magical things. She was beautiful." He ended on a deep sigh of longing.

Stardust buzzed something in my ear, something that I agreed with. I pulled my wings closer to my body.

"You were ... in love?"

Another long-suffering sigh. "I tell ya, kid, love burns. So, to answer your question, some thieves do have a gift for magic. Others, like me, have to rely on objects that already have magic. And no," he said before I could interrupt, "I doubt I can suddenly make you burst full of power. It's not in my blood."

"Gee, that was helpful." Vivian said irritably. "By the way, just how good are you with a sword? I've been itching to try this out."

As if he'd never been drunk, Sidos leapt to his feet, shield on his left arm, Lionheart in his right hand. That grin spread even wider (is that possible?) as he faced Vivian, the steel of his sword glinting in the sunlight. Vivian mirrored the smirk, and drew her mythril blade with her snout. It looked awkward compared to bipedal races that had hands to hold things with, but I don't doubt Vivian's ability for one second.

Sparks flew as the contest began. Thieves were fast, but Vivian had wings. They helped her to dodge Sidos's swings, and her claws in addition to the sword helped her get past the shield. For a while there were ribbons of deep red--not blood, but scraps of Sidos's robes flying about the air, some fluttering to land in the pond. Which the poor fish swam up to gulp down. I hoped they'd be all right. I looked back to the sparring match.

It ended up being a tie. Sidos disarmed Vivian, but she in turn disarmed him by whipping him with the barb at the end of her tail. Based on raw power alone, I thought Vivian would have won, but Sidos was a thief, and thieves were quick. So I guess it really was a tie. They bent to pick up their weapons, Sidos saying first,

"Not bad. Good job. Some polishin' and you'll be the finest swords-dragon in the realm."

"I'll bet," Vivian replied, sheathing her blade, "since not many dragons use swords."

"Meh, details, details, who needs 'em?"

"I do." I said. "What're we gonna do next? Marco's still not done repairing his balloon."

Sidos thought for a minute, then snapped his fingers. Excitedly, he sheathed Lionheart, waving his arms in front of my face.

"Hey, hey, listen! I have an idea!"

"We're listening." Vivian replied, sitting beside me.

"I'unno why I didn't think of it before ... it's a quick fix, but ..."

"But?" I echoed anxiously, eager for what the thief had to say.

"There is a way you can use magic. You just need a magical object and use its power instead."

My jaw dropped, my eyes went wide in disbelief. "You're serious? That's all I have to do? All these years, I couldn't conjure a butterfly and I could've done this?" In the Magic Crafter world, it isn't that surprising. Dragons shouldn't have to use alternative sources of magic. So a dragon, even one like me, using other sources of magic to cast spells was borderline heresy.

"It's not that easy." Sidos shook his head, "and it won't awaken your natural power, which is likely exponentially stronger than any mere object. But it's better than nothing."

"True." I said reluctantly. But even if this does succeed and I can use magic this way ... it isn't satisfying. I'd still want to find out why my natural magic won't work, and unlock that potential if I can. I said so right before my two crimson friends.

"Good." Vivian said, her golden eyes shimmering with approval. "I wouldn't stand it if you'd just let this go."

"Yeah." Sidos echoed her sentiments. "And quick fixes aren't necessarily the best fixes."

Happiness swelled in my heart. I thought my journey would end prematurely, but they wanted to stick with me, too. I don't want to let this rot inside me, eating me from the inside out until it drives me mad. For years I lived with this kind of curse, never truly being a dragon for this inability. Now, I finally had the chance to make that right.

"We have to get to Midnight Mountain." I said. "But right now, let's check out that other method of yours, Sidos."

"Gladly!" The thief replied, jumping before us to lead the way to another portal.

-

I really did not expect Sidos to leap into the Seashell Shore portal. I mean, it's mostly sea, with little enough beaches for what small amount of land-dwelling creatures lived there! Luckily dragons have great lung capacity, and Sidos ... well, he has his own secrets, I'm sure. Let's not go there. So, anyway, we dove into the Seashell Sea (with Sidos fussing again about the mantle ... so he's holding onto it whenever we go underwater).

What kind of magical objects would we find here? The seals didn't really need any magic to help them out. They swam. They had a good time. End of story. But like Elder Cosmos told me over and over, don't judge a book by its cover. The inhabitants might not have much use for magic, but that didn't mean that the world itself had no need of it. In the endless seas, Sidos led the way. With all the robes on, he was a surprisingly good swimmer.

We swam inside a giant seashell that led to the surface, to the beach. We emerged from the water, shaking ourselves dry (while Sidos seemed to magically become as he always did ... no idea how he does it). We had questions all over our faces, so Sidos took the initiative:

"The seals have no use for magic. However, when their ancestors first came here, this was all desolate wasteland, not a drop of water in sight. Legend has it that the ancestors of these seals used an object brimming with the power of water to create the endless seas we see here today." He shuffled. "Well, it was much, much, smaller, but because the object was hidden, its power augments exponentially and the seas continue to grow. Actually, this world is in danger of complete submerging if we don't remove the object. Even seals need land."

Mine and Vivian's jaws dropped. W-wow. Really? I suppose magic has its own consequences. If this legend was true, then it was imperative that the object be placed somewhere else. Perhaps the ancestors of the seals thought it too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands and had it enshrined somewhere. But on the inside, I was excited. Sidos had said my natural ability of magic was many times greater than any mere enchanted object's. If an object was powerful enough to drown an entire land, what could I do at my highest potential? I felt shivers down my spine just thinking about it.

"This object," Sidos continued, as if he had not just predicted the death of an entire land, "is called the Gem or Jewel of the Lorelei, after the legendary goddess associated with both water and song. It is said that her song lures sailors to their shipwrecking deaths~" This he said with a long smile on his face. I coughed.

"Y-yeah ... let's get that Gem, then."

"But can we just go ahead and take it?" Vivian asked abruptly. "Even if its power is out of control, it must be a sacred treasure to the seals here."

Dragons had sacred treasures that were not just gems in each clan. Peackeepers had the weapons and armor of famed dragon warriors that protected the realms, Artisans pieces of literature and artwork, Dream Weavers recorded prophetic dreams in the Vision Pool, Beast Makers had remains of early beasts, and Magic Crafters ... Well, our sacred treasures are the magic spells we devise themselves, especially the strong and complicated ones. It was a serious matter if any of these were stolen. Magic itself is no exception.

"She's right." I said, to Sidos's obvious annoyance. "We can at least ask the seal clan before we do anything. Besides, no one knows where it is, right?"

"True enough," Sidos replied grudgingly. "All righty, let's go find some seals."

-

They were all basking in the sun on the long stretch of glimmering white beach not far from the giant seashell from which we emerged. Amazing how their leathery skin never really wrinkled even though they basked in the strong sunlight for hours before returning to swim in the oceans. As we padded toward them, the hot sand between our toes, some of the seals began to sit up. Although many dragons relocated to the Forgotten Worlds, it was still a sight to see them, I suppose.

Seals were a really friendly bunch, so they even welcomed Sidos (the idols of Molten Crater just liked dinner buddies, I'm guessing). One seal came forward, with small protruding tusks that were almost walrus-like jutting out from his lips. He must be one of the elders of the clan. Indeed he was, as his voice was older and almost raspy.

"Greetings to you, young dragons and thief." He said, looking kindly on all of us--all of us--as he did so. "What brings you three to our Seashell Shore?"

"There's a legend we'd like to inquire about." I said. "Do you know about the Gem of the Lorelei?"

"Lorelei ... of course. She is our goddess of the oceans and song. We have an underwater temple dedicated to her at the bottom of the sea."

"Might the, uh, Gem be enshrined there?"

The elder sea raised a bushy eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?"

I almost winced. Like Vivian said, this Gem must be a sacred object to them, and of course they wouldn't just give it up at the whim of a few strangers--

"Relax, I'm just kidding! Of course the Gem is enshrined there. Would you like to see it?"

Apparently I spoke too soon. "Really?"

"Yes! If only we could find it. The Temple of Lorelei was lost long ago."

Oh. Great. I glared at Sidos, who only grinned toothily and shrugged innocently.

"Well, we have reason to believe that the Gem of Lorelei's power might one day cause this land to submerge under ocean completely. And even seals need land."

"I see." The elder fingered his spiral seashell at his neck. "We have no use or need for magic. Even if we found it, we have no means of toning down its power. If it brings such danger, you are most welcome to it."

Wow. The seal clan sure was a friendly bunch. Now the only thing that remained was finding the Temple of Lorelei and taking the Gem. The prospect of using magic at last--at last!--tingled in my veins. I could feel the blood pumping through my body strongly.

Sidos strode forward to the edge of the water, the shallow sea lapping around his ankles, dampening the hem of his robes. He turned to me and Vivian.

"Well, shall we?"

--

A/N: Quick update at around midnight ... don't expect too many of these. I was feeling especially inspired. Also, those who can get the reference from a certain Tales of game gets ten points! No, they actually get a ficlet oneshot of their choice.


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